The Terminator ★★★★

    To say that fate plays a role in the art of filmmaking would be an understatement to say the least; yet, it is this particular notion that reigns supreme when analyzing "The Terminator," a 1984 science fiction classic, and a film that would be unable to manage without its fast-paced action, frenetic energy, and an editing style that is characteristically hyperactive, even if it does appear silly at times.
   
    In addition to placing the name of James Cameron (a relatively unknown director at the time) on a short list of filmmakers that warrant any hint toward intellectual discussion, "The Terminator" launched the prestigious career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, a man of humble beginnings and arguably the greatest action star to ever turn up on the silver screen. If either had been replaced--or if any of a number of miscalculations had come to fruition--then the history of cinema would have surely taken a hit, in both ingenuity and sheer unadulterated charisma.

    Cameron's first notable directorial ambition (that being the film under examination; unless, of course, one considers "Piranha Part Two: The Spawning" to be of any real significance) is a picture that banks heavily on an inexplicable storyline (even one character admits that someone "can go crazy thinking about it"), and two disparate settings that exude an overwhelming feeling of despondency.

    Los Angeles, at its present, is a city enshrouded by darkness and characterized by a soft, and rather blurred display of lighting. (Not to mention an inner city nightclub by the name of "Technoir," which summarizes the film's mood in its entirety.) On the other end of the spectrum is a futuristic apocalypse that harbors very little life and much death. This latter source will bring forth two individuals--as they travel back through time to the year of 1984--dead set on a collision course. Both life forms have business with Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), our resident damsel in distress (Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is sworn to protect her while the Terminator is hell-bent on her eradication); mingle in a detective inspired subplot fueled by several stock characters (including a cynical psychologist), and you pretty much have the gist of a picture that defined a generation with its resilient personalities and over-the-top imagination.          

 
    Although James Cameron had very little experience when it came to directing by this juncture in his career, there are a number of quality filmmaking techniques exercised here that allude to the potential and brilliance to come. Whether it be a single shot motif (featuring a small toy truck being crushed by the tire of an automobile) foreshadowing certain doom or the excellent utilization of a low camera angle to add to the towering and menacing stature of our robotic assassin, it becomes apparent that Cameron knows his way around a camera. Also on display are a plethora of director's interpretive points of view (mostly involving the use of slow-motion) that capture the brutality of Schwarzenegger, as he carries out his malicious intentions. (The moments leading up to the inevitable meeting of the Terminator and Sarah Conner are certainly the most suspenseful, as well as the most chilling.)  
 
    Which brings us to one of the most distinguishing aspects of the film itself: The special effects. Stan Winston and company, a household name when it comes to animatronics or any practical effects for that matter, deliver once again in their employment of several on-screen techniques, which also come in a variety of forms. The use of stop-motion animation and several highly detailed miniatures perfectly express the atmosphere of the war-torn envisioned future, while the skilled design of a robotic arm and damaged face give viewers an idea of what it is like behind the skin of our steel framed human impersonator. Most important, however, is the use of computer effects (which were virtually non-existent at the time, when compared to today's innovations) to portray the vision of the Terminator. (Not only does this give us insight into what our antagonist sees, but it conveys its cold and calculated mentality quite brilliantly.)

    "The Terminator" is a one of a kind picture that spawned a very successful franchise and it also gave the world one of the most memorable quotes in cinematic history. ("I'll be back" is as unforgettable as the film itself.) Yet, with all of that being said, in order to accurately view this production, it must be viewed as a showcase for the actor or as a personality cult. Arnold Schwarzenegger surely needed this film as much as it needed his larger than life persona.

    It is hard to imagine that a simple lunch meeting between the actor and director James Cameron had more influence on the film than any other decision; a thought that harkens back to the idea of fate's unaccountable meddling. For, Schwarzenegger was originally set to play Kyle Reese, a character that required a set of acting skills that our former bodybuilding champion simply did not have at this time. (Reese is a character that has to sell the plausibility of the story while also contributing expository information in-between action.) Cameron's decision to cast Schwarzenegger in the role of the villain will always remain as the most pivotal determination for both men with regard to their filmmaking careers.